Drunk driver crashes into police car, injuring officer

Created on Monday, 02 March 2015 06:40 | Written by Pamplin Media Group |

A 57-year-old Portland man will be arraigned Monday, March 2, after police said he struck a patrol car late Friday night, causing it to crash and injuring and East Precinct officer.

Driver Gary Clark was not injured in the collision near Southeast 155th Avenue and Stark Street. He was booked into the Multnomah County Jail on accusations of driving under the influence of intoxicants and reckless driving.

According to Portland police, East Precinct Officer Allison Renander was answering a domestic violence call at about 11:45 p.m. Feb. 28 when the patrol car she was driving was struck from the rear, sending it over a sidewalk and into a yard. Renander was pulled from the car by medical personnel and was taken to a Portland hospital with serious, but not life-threatening, injuries.

According to police, Renander was driving east approaching 155th Avenue, slowing down, when an eastbound 1987 Dodge pickup, driven by Clark, struck the left rear of the patrol car, causing the crash.

Renander has worked for the Portland Police Bureau for seven years, assigned to East Precinct night shift.